


Tapering, Or...

by snack_size



Series: Rowing [2]
Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternature Universe - Sports, Chuck Hansen is an Adorable Ball of Well Muscled Rage, Homophobia, M/M, Men in Spandex, Rowing, Yancy is Weird
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-17
Updated: 2014-01-17
Packaged: 2018-01-09 00:40:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1139402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snack_size/pseuds/snack_size
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>how Chuck Hansen drove everyone insane on their push for Nationals</i>
</p><p>The varsity eight boat full of our intrepid heroes train for their run at Nationals and Coach Geiszler tries to learn how to drive the launch.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tapering, Or...

**Author's Note:**

> Beta'd by achilleees, inspired by the lovely dolly-bassett.
> 
> The beginning bit of smut was written and published for a request on tumblr. The rest is just ridiculous.

Chuck groaned as Yancy’s fingers stroked up and down his shaft, light, deft, perfect over the head of his cock. Even Yancy’s calluses felt good. Chuck leaned and kissed him, though it was sloppy - but worth it, because when he pulled away Yancy was grinning and looked hot with his hair all messed up and this needy expression in his eyes. “Fuck, that’s so good, Yancy-”

 

Yancy moved and laid down on his back, hand still on Chuck’s cock. Chuck had to shift and he kissed at Yancy’s neck, then his mouth. Figured Yancy would be an excellent kisser. Certainly a better use of his goddamn mouth than narrating each one of their practices, like Chuck wasn’t sitting right in front of him in the boat - and now we see the Geiszler in its natural habitat, approaching the boat slowly for fear of running into it with the launch-

 

“Here,” Yancy said, and used his knee to slide the lube over to Chuck. His smile widened.

 

“OK, I’ll just-” Chuck said, not sure what Yancy wanted, he’d just stroked him off maybe five minutes ago but if he wanted to go again, then-

 

The dopey expression in Yancy’s eyes shifted and his hand slowed. “Oh, no,” he said.

 

“What?” Chuck asked, and he felt panic rise in his stomach, what had he done wrong?

 

“You’re…oh shit, you’re…”

 

“What?” Chuck asked.

 

“You’ve never, uh, before?” Yancy asked. Chuck shook his head, and then thought, you complete dickhead, of course the lube is for the penetration part, Christ-

 

“But I really want-”

 

“Herc will kill me,” Yancy said, and his hand was off Chuck’s cock. It began to soften at the mention of his older brother. “We should take it slow-”

 

“We’ve been…this…for, like, a week!” Chuck said, and he waved his hand at both their cocks. And they’d rubbed off on each other, whatever that was called. No oral, but, whatever.

 

“But!”

 

“No buts!” Chuck said, and he slid over Yancy and aligned their groins. “Look, my senior year of high school Herc gave $50 to a girl he graduated with, Charlotte…to fuck me at my graduation party.”

 

“Yeah, he would,” Yancy said, and his smile began to return.

 

“I know, right? So she pulls me out of the party and…then went and yelled at Herc, about how I’d insulted her, and didn’t I think she was hot enough, so I had to tell him I was…”

 

“Ooh,” Yancy said, and his eyes widened. “I bet that was-”

 

“Not the point,” Chuck interrupted. “Point is, he doesn’t have any, uh, whatever, ability to kill you for…and besides, why would he?”

 

“For not-”

 

“Cause I’m pretty sure it’s gonna be really awesome to fuck you. Or, uh, have you fuck me.” Chuck ground into Yancy’s cock, now showing signs of life. He grinned - he was getting hard again too. “How does that work, anyway?”

 

Yancy blinked at him. “Do they not have Internet in the freshman dorms-”

 

“All the porn I watch, they just get down to it, like - they know, ahead of time-”

 

“You’re precious,” Yancy said, wrapped an arm around him and pulled him down for an explosive kiss. “Oh, Chuck. I don’t care-”

 

Chuck, to ram his point - haha - home, set his jaw and said, “Then you fuck me.” Not like he’d been thinking about it, or anything. Definitely not when he was jacking off.

 

“Really?” Yancy asked. Chuck nodded. Yancy grinned, and this grin was…toothy. It was the look of a person who had plans. Chuck’s cock jerked and Yancy reached between the two of them and stroked them together.

 

Chuck groaned. It was the look of a person who planned to wreck him.

 

He rolled Chuck over and positioned him carefully, kissed down his back and massaged his ass. “God, look at you,” he murmured, squeezing each side in turn. “Pretty much perfect.” He ran his fingers along the dimples above Chuck’s ass and sighed. “Ready?”

 

“Mmm,” Chuck murmured. Yancy rubbed a thumb along his prostate as another finger stroked his crease. Chuck had read about this - and, OK, yes, maybe in most of his fantasies he was the one getting penetrated. Especially by Yancy. So he did his best to relax. “Aw, fuck!”

 

“I know, I know,” Yancy murmured, sliding his finger in further. He pressed Chuck’s prostate from the outside. Chuck groaned and Yancy was in him up to the knuckle. “There.”

 

“OK,” Chuck said.

 

“It feels good, trust me, like, all these little nerve endings connect to your new best friend, right-”

 

“Holy fuck!”

 

“-there, and I’m gonna light them up for you, Duck.”

 

“Oh, my God,” Chuck said, remembering the day he hit the duck with his oar. Yancy’s finger was sliding in and out of him and it was uncomfortable as all fuck but it was also…it was bordering on all right. “I told you I would spank you with the oar if-”

 

“I’m counting on it,” Yancy said. “That was when I knew, Chuck…” he twisted his finger and Chuck felt a little spark, a collection of something, and then Yancy increased his pace. He kept talking as he fingered him open, slow and taking his time, subjecting Chuck to all manner of nonsense while sliding in and out of him and crooking his fingers against his prostate.

 

“I hate you, I hate you, Yancy, fuck, please! Chuck said. Things had gone over to good about five minutes ago and his dick was aching.

 

“Oh, there we are, the word no one ever thought would pass your lips - roll over, yeah?”

 

Chuck furrowed his brow and complied - he’d seen this position, of course, but then understood when Yancy slid a condom on and stroked his cock, kneeling in front of him. Chuck was able to take all of him in and Yancy’s muscles and smooth, freckled skin were on full display. “God, you’re gorgeous,” Chuck said, then almost bit his tongue at his stupid word choice - all Yancy’s fault, really.

 

Yancy liked it, though, beamed at him. “Yeah? Really?” He pulled Chuck’s legs apart and poked his cock at him. Chuck moaned, imagined how this would feel - finally, and-

 

“Uh, oh. That’s - oh, fuck, you are huge!”

 

“Yeah, I am,” Yancy said, but slowed his pace. A hand reached forward and stroked Chuck’s hair. “Nice and easy, there, Chuck…put your legs around my waist, OK?”

 

“That’s…still huge, but…uh, OK, that’s, uh, wow.”

 

“Could be more enthusiastic, there-”

 

“You’re all inside me,” Chuck said, and yeah, Yancy was turning him into just as much of a dumbass but he didn’t care. He was being split apart and it was fucking awesome, suddenly. “Fuck me.”

 

Yancy just grinned and complied. He was painfully slow at first, working his hand along Chuck’s cock just as carefully. He babbled at him, described how tight and wonderful Chuck felt. Chuck certainly felt like he was being stretched, and each thrust of Yancy’s cock seemed to echo up and down his spin. He felt, he realized, this strange and good sensation that was gradually building as he got more used to the feeling of something inside him.

 

“Ungth!” Chuck gasped, as Yancy flicked his hips and did something that-

 

“There it is,” Yancy said - more purred - and he increased his pace and Chuck felt his orgasm begin to build, puddle and pool in his stomach. It was sudden and hot and amazing and he was bucking his hips back into Yancy. “That’s it, put that perfect ass into it,” Yancy said. “Fuck, Chuck, I’m…”

 

“I know, that’s so good, more, just…like that…” Chuck closed his eyes, not wanting to look at Yancy when he came - he had the world’s stupidest orgasm face and Chuck had laughed the first time and got a pillow to the face. “Please, please, please, I want to-”

 

Yancy was fast, but light, and while Chuck really wanted to get fucked - someday - he appreciated it now. “There, there, there!” he chanted, and then he put his hand on himself and pulled his orgasm out, felt himself come all over his stomach. He didn’t feel Yancy come inside him, was just aware that he had stopped pumping.

 

He pulled out and tossed the condom aside - thank God Yancy had a single room - and then draped himself over Chuck.

 

“Fuck, see?” Chuck said. “No reason to kill you.”

 

“Mmm,” Yancy replied, and kissed him.

 

Figured that the idiot would be awesome at sex.

 

* * *

 

It was a good thing they’d fucked the night before their day off that week. Even still. “Uh, Chuck? You’re set’s a little off, back there, and usually you’re really solid, so, maybe think about why that might be? Focus in, you know, on those muscle groups and…right, great! Great!” Geiszler said, backing into a private home’s boat dock.

 

“I know why,” Yancy said, only loud enough for Chuck and Raleigh to hear. “It’s because-”

 

“No, no, no!” Raleigh hollered. “Absolutely not, you are going to stop talking right now because I refuse to know about-”

 

“I will end you, Becket,” Herc growled from stern pair.

 

Chuck wished he could see the expression on Mako’s face.

 

“Nope, can’t, then you’d have to have an inferior bow seat, Herc, and are you gonna win nationals then?” Yancy called.

 

“After,” Herc growled. “Then, after.”

 

“Enough time to get a shank together,” Yancy said, quieter.

 

“Hey, no shanking my brother,” Chuck replied, and grinned.

 

* * *

 

“What is so funny?” Chuck asked, as Yancy looked at him and burst out laughing when Chuck arrived at his room that evening.

 

“Stacker and Herc pulled me aside,” he said, “after practice. Said we can’t, uh...fuck each other, anymore, if it’s gonna affect our set.”

 

“There is no way Herc said-”

 

“He just stood there and looked really, really pained,” Yancy said, and kissed Chuck on the cheek.

 

“Whatever,” Chuck said. “You don’t even want to know what I’ve caught him doing.” He shook his head. “He does have a point, though.”

 

“Mmm,” said Yancy, “that’s OK, though, plenty of other things we can do until nationals.” Chuck nodded and kissed Yancy.

 

* * *

 

The problem with training for nationals was that everyone else was gone from campus except for them, since exams were over and graduation had passed. They had a lot of downtime between their practices, and there was only so much to do on the remote campus.

 

No one could blame Chuck, he figured, for looking into things. “Olympic athletes,” he said to Yancy, the next evening, arriving with printouts for proof, “don’t have any kind of sex a week before their events.”

 

Yancy took the papers being thrust at him and pouted. “Which is why they’re Olympians, and-”

 

“So maybe we shouldn’t-” the rest was muffled as Yancy clamped his hand over Chuck’s mouth. “Hey!”

 

“If you don’t say it, it’s not real,” Yancy said.

 

“Goddammit,” Chuck said, “I meant that mfrrrrrmgpt!” This time Yancy wrestled him down onto the bed, pulling Chuck’s ass right over his groin. “Yaaancy!”

 

“Are you really serious about this?” Yancy asked.

 

“It’s like how we’re all cutting out red meat,” Chuck replied.

 

“Fucking hell,” Yancy said. “Fine - but - tomorrow is the three week mark, OK? So at least give me tonight?” Chuck turned. Yancy’s eyes were wide and pleading, almost the same stupid sad dog commercial eyes Raleigh gave everyone.

 

“All right,” Chuck said. “But you can’t pressure me, after this.” He poked Yancy in the chest. Yancy made a cross over his heart then clamped a hand around Chuck’s neck and pulled him down for a crushing kiss.

 

* * *

 

It took exactly two days for it to begin. They were doing short sprints, trying to build up their ability to react and pull their stroke rate up if needed. In between the first and second one, Yancy sighed.

 

“When restraint and courtesy are added to strength, the latter becomes irresistible.”

 

“The fuck?” Raleigh asked.

 

“Do you know who said that? Chuck?” Yancy inquired, leaning back and stretching, emphasizing the definition under his shoulder, the lean muscles on his side.

 

“Better not be from some fortune cookie,” Hu called down the boat.

 

“What is going on back there?” Stacker demanded.

 

“Yancy’s dispensing wisdom,” Tendo said.

 

“None of you better listen to him,” Herc replied.

 

“Let’s not get sloppy here, guys,” Geiszler said, and he had actually been following them along in the launch - seemed like he was taking things more seriously, now they were headed to nationals. “We need to focus. Concentrate, breathe during our breaks...nationals isn’t just going to take brute strength, but inner strength.”

 

“That’s what I was saying,” Yancy said.

 

“Yes,” Geiszler replied. “That’s very good, Yancy.”

 

“Oh, Christ’s sake,” Chuck said.

 

* * *

 

“Duck!” Yancy said. Chuck did not respond. “No, really, it looks an awful lot like that duck you hit. Do you think, right now, as we pass by, it’s remembering that day? Shuddering about how it was peacefully nibbling some underwater plants and then, bam! Launched in the air-”

 

“Pretty sure that duck died, guys,” Raleigh said. “Real sad.”

 

“Oh, shit, it’s coming for us - it’s out for vengeance. Chuck, I’ll protect you!”

 

“It moved about two inches, you dumb ass,” Chuck said.

 

“You don’t fuck with ducks, man,” said Raleigh.

 

“That’s swans,” Yancy said. “They kill children, you know, in Denmark-”

 

“Bow four should not be distracting as stern four concentrates on their warm up,” Mako said.

 

* * *

 

“We’re going to just drill this afternoon, after that 2k erg this morning,” Geiszler said, and Chuck’s screaming muscles actually relaxed. “I want to focus on catches, and on how those oars are hitting the water - smooth, together, focusing on that long slide and gliding those oars in…”

 

It almost sounded like he was talking about - _fuck,_ Chuck thought.

 

“It’s important to have a good, long slide,” Yancy murmured. “Gliding motion, in, and out, moving together and synchronizing, bodies following one another towards that release-”

 

Chuck did not deign to give this a response.

 

“The fuck are you on?” Raleigh asked. “This is not a porno.”

 

“We will start with the catch drill,” Mako said into the mike. “A long, smooth slide...thinking, in our heads, glide, but with strength, power, effort, each motion determined…”

 

“See?” Yancy said.

 

* * *

 

 

“We lost Geiszler,” Yancy murmured. “Will we be able to go on without his leadership? His advice? His lengthy digressions about the latest anime he just watched though he’s going to pretend that it’s a real movie because he doesn’t want us to think he’s a nerd?”

 

Tendo groaned.

“He will drift, broken and alone, down the canal,” Yancy continued. “With only his megaphone as a companion, whom he has named Benson, after our novice coach-“

 

“Oh, no, fuck no,” Chuck said.

 

“Except a storm comes, washing Benson away, and Geiszler is left to mournfully cry after him, Benson! Benson! I’m sorry!”

 

“You know how much I fucking hate Tom Hanks!”

 

“I think I will ask bow pair to come in next,” Mako said.

 

* * *

 

 

Mako approached him when he was coming out of the bathroom. They’d all been placed in rooms in the same residence hall - as if two practices a day and meals together wasn’t enough for bonding.

 

She’d been sent to ambush him. “I have been chosen to speak for everyone,” she said. She held her chin high. “Please. Just jack him off, or something.” Chuck was impressed she managed to say this without blushing.

 

“Yancy is tapering too!” Chuck said.

 

Mako’s eyes went wide and empty. She shook her head at Chuck. “I want you to think long and hard about what you’ve done.”

 

“You’ll thank me when we win!” Chuck said.

 

* * *

 

 

“No one else is having sex,” Chuck said to Yancy as they sat and played Call of Duty.

 

“No one else has anyone to have sex with,” Yancy replied, and shot Chuck’s character in the face. Then he grinned at him.

 

“We were on the same goddamn team,” Chuck replied.

 

* * *

 

“Break into pairs,” Geiszler said. “We’re going to do some hard weights this morning, Mako, I want you to encourage throughout, uh, and also watch for form. We don’t need anyone straining anything.”

 

Yancy loaded the weights for the squats while Raleigh and Tendo looked on. Raleigh shook his head and turned Tendo the other way. Chuck was too stupid to figure out why until he stood behind Yancy and watched as he pulled himself down, holding his back straight but thrusting his ass out ever so slightly...and fuck, Yancy had a great ass. Round, easy to cup, rub, massage, when he was in his spandex it was almost obscene how good it looked.

 

“Yeah, feel that burn, Chuck,” Yancy said. “Right in the glutes.”

 

“Pay attention and hold your core tight,” Chuck said. “You’re thrusting your ass out too far.”

 

“Naw,” said Yancy. “I’m good, right, Rals?” He paused, waited for Raleigh to get behind with Chuck, then dropped into the squat again.

 

“Yeah, he’s got perfect form,” Raleigh said. “Can’t help he has a great, round ass.”

 

“I got the ass, Raleigh got the tits,” Yancy replied.

 

“I do not have tits.”

 

“You could use a training bra, man,” Chuck said. Because. Raleigh smacked at him.

 

“Rals, come on, your turn to bench,” Tendo said. “Fucking hell.”

 

* * *

 

“Complete abstinence is easier than perfect moderation,” Yancy said during their morning stretches, one week to nationals. Chuck had noted that Yancy had a countdown calendar and he was pretty positive it wasn’t the same sort of calendar that Herc was crossing days off of.

 

“You really miss those tacos, oi?” Tendo asked.

 

Yancy glanced over at him and shook his head - he wasn’t taking the bait on that one. “That would be Cheung, dude.”

 

“The tacos are good!” Cheung said. “Lean ground beef! Better than turkey! Fuck the turkey. Who needs turkey tacos?”

 

“And then there are the fish tacos…” Yancy said.

 

“I do not want a goddamn pink taco,” said Cheung.

 

“Stop,” said Jin. “Please. You embarrass yourself.” He shot a long glare at Yancy.

 

* * *

 

“Hey, Row2k wrote an article about us,” Raleigh said, holding his tablet up in the van as they drove from the airport to their hotel at the nationals site. “Boat of Brothers.”

 

“Clever,” said Jin.

 

“Not really,” said Yancy. “I mean, it’s nice, because it echoes the sound, but-”

 

“Anchored by stroke Stacker Pentecost, the PPDC team has looked surprisingly poised for a run at a national title this year with their spring season. Surprisingly?”

 

“We didn’t even make it last year,” Herc said.

 

“Then there’s some stuff about our races, blah, blah, blah, cox Mako Mori provides guidance to a boat that is full of pairs of brothers. Seven seat Herc Hansen is the older brother to two seat Chuck Hansen, a freshman with a huge erg score who has been surprisingly effective in the bow. He’s between the two Beckets, Raleigh and Yancy-”

 

“They always say your name first,” Yancy said.

 

“Alphabetical, man,” Raleigh said. “Geiszler has also been innovative with his engine room composition, anchored by Becket - ooh, look at that, I’m anchoring - and composed of Tendo Choi and twins Jin and Hu Wei, all of whom are more technicians than bangers. Is that insulting us?”

 

“Twins?” Cheung demanded.

 

“You are in 2V,” said Jin. “No longer triplet, apparently.”

 

“Give me that link, I will comment to correct,” Cheung said. “I am spare! You should treat me well, in case someone gets hurt.”

 

“OK, hey,” Geiszler said, even though he tried to stay out of whatever they were discussing. “No threats of violence, there, Cheung, we’ve got a good thing going, and, err, yeah.”

 

* * *

 

They got the boat rigged in record time and were on the water. Only two other crews were out, and Chuck found himself getting distracted as he watched them going through practice. They were all tapering, now, so there was no way to get a look at the other crews at full speed right now. They were all new opponents, too, save for USC.

 

“Bring focus in,” Mako said. “We accomplish nothing by sizing them up.”

 

“No, we should do that when they’re standing, full and erect, in their little spandies,” Yancy said.

 

“I hate you,” Chuck said.

 

“You brought this on yourself,” Raleigh said.

 

“Bow!” Mako said. “I should not have to chide you children.” Her tone was stern, and Chuck was sure he wasn’t the only one of the three who opened his mouth slightly at the rebuke. “Good,” she said. “We have a long, loose row to get through and we will not achieve its benefits with you three bantering back there.”

 

Chuck opened his mouth - he wasn’t doing anything, it was the Beckets, as usual, but then snapped it shut. Thought of Herc in the stern. How bad he wanted this. How close they were.

 

* * *

 

They pulled into the dock alongside the UCLA crew, one of the two other teams that had posted faster times than they had this year. Herc and Stacker had rowed with several of their members at the U.S. Team invite last year. Herc said they were all dickheads, Stacker had been a little more charitable, but the impression was the same.

 

“Yo, Hansen, Stacks, glad to see you make it this year,” called their five seat, Slate, once both teams came back down to get theirs.

 

“Thanks,” Stacker said. “Should be a good race.”

 

“Is that Baby Hansen?” Slate asked. Chuck turned and met his eye. The guy was huge - a big erg without technique, Stacker had claimed. “And they put your ass in the bow?”

 

Yancy glanced over at Chuck as he curled his lip. “Seems to have worked out,” Chuck managed. “Nice to meet you, anyway.” He grabbed his oar and stomped up the dock.

 

Once they’d got everything settled Yancy pulled him aside into one of the cordoned off changing areas, pulling the curtain shut. “You have a great ass,” he said, reached around, and gently squeezed it. Then he kissed Chuck’s forehead. “I was gonna tell you to keep calm but then I remembered your rage was an essential component to our victory.”

 

Chuck laughed, remembering the equation that Herc and Stacker had seriously presented to them before they headed for nationals on a chalkboard:

 

_Mako’s quick thinking + Stacker’s power + Herc’s fighting instinct + Tendo’s technique + Jin’s determination + Hu’s strong will + Raleigh’s effortless strength + Chuck’s rage + Yancy’s grace = NATIONAL TITLE_

 

“And your grace.”

 

“Yeah,” Yancy said, and did a little spin for Chuck. He lost his balance and nearly hit the wall. Chuck grinned.

 

* * *

 

Chuck wasn’t sure what UCLA saw, but it was enough. Probably him and Yancy in one of the dressing rooms that they thought was private, their little talk after their first encounter or Chuck rubbing Yancy’s sore shoulder and then kissing him on the back of the neck. Or maybe they didn’t actually see anything beyond the standard horsing around and ass patting and just decided - who knew? What mattered was, the first time they said it, they saw everyone’s faces, they saw Raleigh’s reaction, and they knew they were right.

 

“Really, Stacker?” Slate asked as they carried their oars up together to the boat house. They always seemed to pull in at the same time. Chuck had to wonder if it was planned. “Think you’re gonna win with a pair of cocksuckers in your bow?”

 

Raleigh dropped his oar and lunged for him, but Herc was quick enough to hold him back.

 

“Yes,” said Stacker. “I do.” Slate’s companion laughed.

 

“You let your baby brother take it up the ass, Hansen?” he asked. Herc made a growling sound as Raleigh struggled against him.

 

“S’not worth it,” Herc said.

 

The two walked away, laughing. “What is that ugly cunt’s name?” Herc asked.

 

“Dunno,” Stacker said. “Always thought of him as Leatherback, looks like a fucking turtle.”

 

Geiszler sat them down after practice. “So, I overheard some things. Not appropriate things. Also, uh, am concerned about what might have happened if Herc hadn’t been there to grab you, Rals, and so, to, uh, adequately…we could get fined for that, kicked out, so...” he coughed, then said, “so we should deal with this, maybe, we can talk and-”

 

“They’re together,” Herc said.

 

“We’re boyfriends,” Yancy said, and grinned at Geiszler and threw his arm around Chuck at the same time. Stacker put his head in his hands.

 

“OK. Good to, ah, know. And that this hasn’t been a distraction for you two, which I applaud, you know, prioritizing the boat.” He nodded his head and pushed his glasses up his face. Chuck smirked at Yancy, who scowled. “And, you know, it would only be a problem if it was affecting the team, so.” He nodded again. “Great. Here’s the thing - um, they’re obviously going to be continuing with that stuff, seeing as how it’s got you guys riled up. I’ll, um, talk to their coach-”

 

“Gottlieb,” Yancy said, under his breath. Chuck had no idea why this was significant.

 

“Yup, that would be him, the little control freak - I mean, um-”

 

“Coach, there are articles archived on the Internet about your rivalry,” Tendo said.

 

“Ah, OK, well. Yes. Coxed against each other in nationals each, uh, year. And he got invited to the Olympic camp, uh...never let me live that down.” Geiszler pressed his lips together, and Chuck remembered Herc saying something about this last year - Geiszler was the better cox, he alleged, but he had weight issues, was always 5-10 pounds above the cox minimum and it was too much of a risk for an Olympic cox. “I will have a talk with him, but...don’t expect it to change anything. They’ll get it in when they know no one is watching. Don’t let it bother you.”

 

“May I?” Mako asked. Geiszler nodded. “We should let it bother us. They are assholes, and we should crush them.” Everyone looked at her. It was unexpected. They nodded their heads.

 

“Add third type of fuel to Chuck Hansen’s rage,” said Hu.

 

“Do I want to know?” Geiszler asked.

 

“No,” said Herc.

 

* * *

 

Later, Chuck figured Geiszler meant for them to see the shouting match even though he acted like he was a bit embarrassed about it. They were already going at it when the team arrived at the lobby of the hotel.

 

“You need to contain those homophobic little meatheads of yours, Hermann!” was the first thing they overheard. From the look on both coach’s faces, though, they had probably been arguing for some time.

 

“Oh, man,” said another coach. “Just like old times.”

 

“Contain? I have my rowers contained, Coach Geiszler! We have structure in our program, not some hippie-dippy free-for-all-”

 

“Structure? More like you’re running the Gestapo!”

 

“I am from Germany, you noxious little toad! You would hurl that at me and then accuse my rowers of-”

 

“I’m not accusing, I heard it! You think that you can just crunch numbers and put whatever big score you get into a boat and get success and you completely ignore that you’re supposed to interact with these kids-” Geiszler said.

 

“I am a coach, not some sort of...buddy!” Gottlieb replied.

 

“You’re a miserable little egghead!” Geiszler said. This was Aleksis stepped in, thankfully brought along as their assistant coach since the women’s team didn’t qualify.

 

“All done now,” Aleksis said, and grabbed Geiszler and sort of picked him up. “Big race tomorrow, Newton, need to get prepared.”

 

Gottlieb gave him a snide grin, huffed, and then walked away towards the elevator bank. “I’m good now,” Geiszler said, and Aleksis put him down.

 

* * *

 

“This is it,” Raleigh said, as they waited on the line for the first qualifying race. “This is for real.”

 

“We know,” Chuck said.

 

“This is what we’ve been working towards, Chuck.”

 

“Yes, I’m fucking aware, Raleigh.”

 

“Silence,” said Mako. “Hands in. Ready to start.” Chuck heard her inhale, and then the sound of the gun. Mako’s voice immediately lowered to the growl she had perfected. “That’s half, half, three-quarters, full, we’re at 36, two to a 38, that’s one, two, and 38, now give me legs for our first big ten, that is one, thrust, two, hard…” Chuck focused inward, pulled himself into the headspace he needed for the grueling race. He focused on Mako’s voice only, the burn in his legs, synchronizing with Raleigh and pulling his oar in at the same time as Jin.

 

“We are third,” Mako announced. “I’m on USC’s 6, on Princeton’s 4, we need second to avoid the rep race, let’s get it. Brown is pulling in. 750 mark. I want big legs, thrust, control, we take a ten to pull a seat…” They took USC just on the last 500 and Chuck could tell from Mako’s deep growl they were barely holding it.

 

“This is the biggest ten we have ever pulled!” she said, and Chuck felt like his legs were going to detach and like he couldn’t breathe. “1, for Stacks, 2, for Herc, 3, the title!”

 

He was pretty sure he passed out as they crossed line. Everything went black and he could hear horns and applause and if they had to go to the reparge race he was going to throw up. “We got it, Chuck! We got second!” Yancy said. “Straight to the finals.”

 

“Great,” Chuck managed, and Yancy dumped his Nalgene over Chuck’s head.

 

“Wooo,” Yancy said.

 

* * *

 

They had been sleeping in separate beds to avoid temptation. The night before the nationals race, though, Chuck curled in with Yancy and wrapped an arm around him. “Nervous?” Yancy asked.

 

“It’s for Herc, you know,” Chuck said. “He deserves this, has done so much for me…”

 

“I know,” Yancy said. “But you can’t be nervous. We’ve trained really hard. Sacrificed.”

 

“Hey, I-”

 

“I know,” Yancy said, and nuzzled his neck before kissing it. “Think of all the hard work you put in all year. You did all the work and more, Chuck, and there’s eight other people alongside you just as dedicated.” Chuck sighed and felt himself relax. “Well, seven, I think Tendo’s a bit-”

 

“Yance.”

 

“We worked hard, Chuck,” Yancy said. Chuck liked that he didn’t say they deserved it, or promised him that they were going to win. He yawned and closed his eyes as Yancy curled a little deeper into him.

 

* * *

 

A strange calm came over him on race day. He didn’t remember Geiszler’s pep talk, Stacker’s speech, what Mako said to them as they pulled up to the starting mark. He just listened to the clap and smack of all of the oars in the water. Last race, he thought.

 

Everything was interrupted as they paddled towards the start. UCLA was next to them, and Slate couldn’t resist.

 

“You faggots ready for a race?”

 

Before anyone could get something in, Chuck called back, “This faggot is ready to kick your ass.”

 

“And then fuck mine,” Yancy added.

 

A horrified choking sound came from somewhere in their stern, along with Stacker laughing. Slate, at least, appeared suitably appalled and nudged their cox to move them along faster.

 

“Now that that is done,” Mako said, “We will dock, and count our silent ten before we pull to ready. Inhale, and…” Chuck counted in his head, let his body relax and closed his eyes. This is it, he thought. This is for Herc.

 

He pulled himself into position when Mako called it and waited for the gun. Whatever happened, he thought, was going to happen.

 

Chuck was completely cogent for every word Mako called, and even though the race was short, each word she spoke felt like it’s own minute. He digested each piece of information, how after their first five hundred they were behind Princeton, UCLA, and Washington. He was completely connected to his stroke and pressed harder with his legs, felt it as his thighs pulled taut.

 

“One seat up UCLA, two seats down Princeton, three seats down Wash,” Mako said. “Give me legs! Legs! We pull ahead! Engine room, this ten is on you-” Her voice was deep and almost soothing.

 

Chuck’s shoulders burned as they crossed the first thousand, still jostling for places with the other three boats - he could hear the crowd, cheering alongside them, could hear the roar from the other coxes and the slap of the other oars in the water. “Chuck!” Yancy groaned, and Chuck reached further and found just a little bit more.

 

“Last 500, home stretch, two seats up U and Wash, on Princeton’s seven, one more seat! Reach! It is there! Nationals! First! Give. Me. Everything. You’ve. Got. On their cox!” They pulled even, then, the last 250 was going to make the race. “Burn it all, boys!” Mako said, and Chuck could feel it in the boat - they were gliding, but they were also flying. “Up one! Up one! Last ten!” She barked out the numbers, almost breathless, and Chuck heard the horn as he pulled his last stroke. “It is ours!” Mako shouted.

 

They all leaned back on each other, Raleigh collapsing into Chuck and Chuck collapsing into Yancy. “Holy fuck,” said Raleigh. “M’gonna die.”

 

“Die a champion,” Yancy said.

 

* * *

 

They all grabbed hold of Mako and swung her in the water, as was the victor’s tradition. Then Stacker dragged her out and pulled her up onto his shoulders to collect their trophy. Yancy wrapped his arm around Chuck’s waist and leaned into him, rocking slightly, grinning like an idiot as they took pictures on the dock before moving to the podium for the medal ceremony.

 

Chuck watched as Geiszler gleefully smiled at Hermann while they all climbed onto the top of the podium as their name was announced. Princeton had taken second, and Washington third, and Chuck was pretty pleased that UCLA had been left off the podium.

 

He draped his arms around both Beckets after they got their medals, then clasped hands with them as the whole team raised their hands. “Chuck!” said Geiszler, “they want a picture with you and Herc.”

 

“You did good, little bro,” Herc said, and Chuck realized it was the first time he had spoken to his brother since they had won.

 

“All you, old man,” Chuck replied, and Herc shook his head and draped his arm around Chuck’s shoulder for the picture. Their parents rushed them immediately after, his father pausing for a moment before embracing them in a hug - it took Chuck a second to realize it was because they were coated in lake water and sweat. Ball sweat.

 

“So proud of you boys,” their dad said.

 

* * *

 

Chuck passed out immediately following dinner with his parents and Herc. He was faintly aware of Yancy crawling into the hotel bed with him, but his muscles ached and his brain ached and he just wanted to sleep on the incredibly soft mattress.

 

They woke up at six a.m., just as they had every day for their early morning row for the past few months. Yancy yawned and curled into Chuck and wrapped a leg around him, trapping him.

 

“I have to go-”

 

“Mine,” Yancy murmured, and then used the leverage he had to straddle over Chuck. He gripped him with his firm, hard thighs and smiled at him.

 

Chuck had never seen Yancy more aware in the morning. He put a hand on Chuck’s chest and worked his fingers through the hair on his chest and then twisted slightly. “We won,” he murmured.

 

“We did,” Chuck said, and then watched as Yancy’s grin grew and looked...pretty fucking hot, really. His eyes were just that little bit hooded, too. He leaned in and kissed Chuck, opening his mouth and pressing his tongue, taking and making demands that Chuck was more than willing to give into.

 

“I have waited,” he said, before he pressed his lips to Chuck’s neck, “a whole fucking month-”

 

“Three weeks,” Chuck said, arched into the kisses as Yancy trailed down to his collarbone. “Let me go first, yeah?

 

“-fine, whatever.” Chuck got up and went to the bathroom as Yancy called, “Three weeks, to get your cock in me.”

 

“Oh,” Chuck said.

 

“Oh?”

 

“We can do that, I just-”

 

“You like getting fucked?” Yancy asked, as Chuck climbed back into bed. He pressed his lips to Chuck’s nipple and just flicked his tongue at it. Chuck nodded and heard Yancy chuckle. “Oh, Chuck.” There was something there, right beneath the surface, and Chuck thought about pushing it aside for a moment but then deciding it might be best-

 

“Wait, you prefer-”

 

“Mmmhmm,” Yancy said, and grinned at him like Chuck had just done a really clever trick. “But we’ll work it out, won’t we Chuck?”

 

Chuck groaned as Yancy lightly bit his nipple and then trailed his mouth to the other side of his chest. “All summer,” he said. They’d managed to get themselves in the same town for the summer.

 

Chuck couldn’t help himself, he had to buck his hips into Yancy. Both of them were still in their boxer briefs and the friction of the cloth against his cock was too much after almost three weeks of- “Oh, no, neither of us is going to make it,” Yancy murmured, and he pulled himself up and shucked his briefs off. Chuck hissed at the sight of his cock, already hard and firm.

 

Chuck shimmied out of his own briefs as Yancy got lube and he liberally coated his hand before grabbing both of them. “Oh, fuck, fuck, that’s…” Chuck groaned. Yancy’s hands were deft, even calloused as they were, and he spun a finger around Chuck’s tip and it started Chuck on a quick descent.

 

Yancy leaned down and kissed him, hard and eager, and their lips slid against each other’s, around their necks, on their ears. Then Yancy quickened his pace and Chuck knew he was done for. Yancy pulled Chuck right through and then slid his come over his own cock until he came. “Fuck, Yance,” Chuck said, pulling himself up slightly to watch as Yancy stroked himself. “Oh, god, that’s hot.”

 

Yancy sort of smiled at him - like he wasn’t used to people telling him this - and then arched his back and made that dumbass face of his as he came, like he was spitting out sunshine and rainbows. Hell, maybe he was. Chuck immediately grabbed him when he was done and pulled him down on top of him, kissed him again. “You are,” he said.

 

“What?” Yancy asked.

 

“Hot,” Chuck said. He reached a hand and stroked it down Yancy’s side, moved it up to feel the muscle in his shoulders. Then he pulled it down, cupped Yancy’s round, firm ass and squeezed.

 

“You’re too sweet,” Yancy murmured. Chuck rolled him onto his side to get a better grip on his ass, to better slide against his firm, toned body. He kissed at Yancy’s neck and maybe sucked for a little too long, but no one was going to fault a guy for getting an obvious hickey after he won nationals. “Oh, there you go, I knew it wouldn’t take long.”

 

Chuck sighed as his cock firmed, rubbed it into Yancy, still sticky from their first release. “You have to tell me-”

 

“Mmm,” Yancy murmured, and then rolled onto his back. “Hand me a fluffy pillow.”

 

He sort of looked obscene, propped up like that, legs spread, ass and cock in the air, come around it and his stomach. “Fucking hell,” Chuck said. “I-” Yancy gave him a slow, loopy smile and squeezed some lube into his hand.

 

“I know it was ages ago, Chuck, but you remember, right?” he asked. Chuck rolled his eyes and stroked his clean hand up and down the inside of Yancy’s thighs and then pressed his finger on his opening. Yancy groaned, and Chuck hadn’t even moved in yet. He circled his finger, like Yancy had, and then pressed in slightly.

 

“You are so tight,” he said.

 

“Why would that be?”

 

“Fuck off,” Chuck said. It felt strange, warm, and he moved slowly, keeping his finger straight until he was in to his knuckle. Yancy huffed, sighed, and adjusted himself around it.

 

“Slide,” he said. Chuck bit his lip slightly - he’d been reading up, preparing for this, wanting to do this right. He circled slightly with his finger instead, intent on finding- “Yeah! Yeah! That’s it! Fuck!” Yancy arched as back as he touched him. Chuck sort of marveled that he could make him feel like that. That his dick was going to make him feel like that. “Please, Chuck.”

 

Chuck slid his finger slowly, fucking Yancy with it, twisting it over the spot. He added a second, a third, watched every one of Yancy’s small movements as he writhed around Chuck’s fingers - he knew Yancy was responsive, but this was almost too much, and no wonder he liked getting dicked.

 

“M’good,” he said, hair in his face, smile a little woobly.

 

“Do you have-”

 

“You better not have been fucking anyone on the side,” Yancy said.

 

“Oh,” Chuck said. “You sure?” Yancy nodded, and Chuck pulled back, lubed his dick. Yancy watched him intently, and there was something about that gaze that made Chuck’s cock twitch.

 

“I want your cock,” Yancy said, and Chuck sort of laughed, but then grabbed himself at the root and lined himself up. Yancy spread his legs - he had, Chuck thought stupidly, the best flexibility on the team - and then wrapped them around his waist, drawing him closer. It slid Chuck in just slightly and he clenched his jaw at the sensation.

 

He pressed further and it was overwhelming, tight and enveloping - warm all around, and he already felt the low thrum in his stomach and balls just from moving another inch. “I-”

 

“Nice and slow,” Yancy murmured, using his legs to draw Chuck in further, and Chuck moaned as he sunk his dick into Yancy. He was so fucking tight but welcoming, and soon Chuck was pressed against Yancy and he was grinning up at him. “That’s so fucking good, Chuck.”

 

“Yeah, it’s…” Chuck bit at his lip and slid back a few inches, then in again, and he groaned at the feeling around his cock. It didn’t help that Yancy was watching him keenly, eyes hooded, already looking completely fucked out. He was, actually, Chuck realized, and he slid almost all the way out and then pressed inside with a smooth stroke.

 

“Yeah, so good, Chuck, I want-”

 

“Where..?”

 

“Ah,” Yancy said, and he canted his hips up and adjusted himself. Chuck slid again and knew he was close from Yancy’s face, it only took a few more thrusts before Yancy issued a deep, throaty moan that made Chuck’s cock swell, though he didn’t think it was possible for it to get harder. Then Yancy canted his hips against him, pulled him deeper, and Chuck closed his eyes and just let himself thrust and get lost in the sensation. “Fuck, that’s - yes, Chuck, that’s it, just...harder, and…”

 

Chuck worked his hips harder into Yancy, and Yancy squeezed him tighter with his legs. It felt like Yancy was consuming him and when he tilted his head back and exposed his neck Chuck was gone. He leaned forward to kiss him, meeting his mouth in sloppy kiss that was marked by both of them moaning into it. “I’m gonna-”

 

“I know, I want to come just on your dick, Chuck, please, I-”

 

Chuck thrust , hard, deep, and he tried to hold back when he felt his orgasm build but he couldn’t. He came in long bursts into Yancy, filling him, and soon after he felt Yancy come against him. “Yeah, Chuck, that was…”

 

Chuck fell over top of him and kissed at his neck. “Worth it.”

“Wouldn’t go that far,” Yancy replied. Chuck opened his eyes and scowled. “No, seriously, fuck tapering.”


End file.
